Q & A: Professor and Columnist Mortz Ortigoza
interviewed recently former Five-Time House of Representatives Speaker Jose de
Venecia or JDV at his palatial coastal home in Dagupan City on the acrimonious
and divisive proposed Charter-Change spearheaded by House Speaker Pantaleon
Alvarez. Alvarez was hell bent to change the centralized political landscape of
the country to federalism with a strong unicameral legislature. Here are the
thoughts of De Venecia – a rabid advocate of these political changes. EXCERPTS:
MORTZ C. ORTIGOZA: Filipinos are facing the strong arm
tactics revision of the Constitution led by Speaker Alvarez where Federalism is
dangled as the silver bullet to solve the miseries of the citizens. Do you
think Federalism can better-off the lives of the Filipinos?
VIDEO:
Joe de Venecia on Benham Rise, Charter-Change
Interviewer: Political Science Professor Mortz C. Ortigoza
JOSE DE VENECIA: When I was Speaker for five
times, I invited the Constitutional Committee to introduce a unicameral
parliamentary system for the Philippines - just one House instead of the two
Houses. So, in addition to a Unicameral Parliamentary System I was moving to a second
step to a switch to a Federal System. We were very close to achieving it for
the Filipino people until a moved was taken by the case to the High Court.
Unfortunately we lost by just one vote. Our system One- House- One Senate is
very unwieldy and it is duplicitous. The work of the House is duplicated by the
work of the Senate. The work of the Senate is duplicated by the House.
